The final and northernmost section of the Central Greece Motorway (E65) — stretching from Kalambaka to Grevena — has been officially handed over to traffic, completing one of Greece’s most significant infrastructure projects. A formal ceremony is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at kilometre 167 of the motorway, attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the political leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
A Strategic National and European Link
With this handover, the full 182.1-kilometre E65 motorway is now fully operational. It connects the Athens–Thessaloniki–Evzoni Motorway (A1) with the Egnatia Odos, forming a vital corridor within the European Union’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). Constructed by Terna — part of the GEK Terna Group — the project establishes a new developmental axis across central and western Greece.
Major Gains in Connectivity and Safety
The completion significantly reduces travel times: the Athens–Grevena route now takes approximately four hours. Access to Western Macedonia and Epirus has improved markedly, enhancing both road safety and freight transport efficiency. As a modern dual-carriageway motorway — with two lanes per direction plus an emergency lane — the E65 was built entirely on new alignment, linking eastern and western Greece seamlessly.
Comprehensive Road Safety and Support Services
Throughout its 182.1 km, drivers have access to round-the-clock road safety services managed by the Central Motorway Authority, including:
- 24/7 Road Safety Patrols
- Free emergency number: 1075
- 24/7 free roadside assistance
- Customer service hotline: 801 700 7000
- Motorist service stations
Key Technical Features
The motorway includes:
- 14 grade-separated interchanges and 4 semi-interchanges
- 5 twin-tube tunnels — the longest being Tunnel T2 (3 km), located under the Othrys mountain range near Moschokaria
- 31 bridges — the largest being the Pineios River Bridge (595 m)
- 114 overpasses and underpasses
- 8 bilateral rest areas (Χ.Σ.Α.) and 2 single-lane ones
- 4 Control & Maintenance Centres (C&MCs) and 4 Tunnel Control Centres
- 1 Traffic Management Centre
- 3 Hellenic Traffic Police buildings and 1 Fire Department station
- 4 Motorist Service Stations (SEAs) — at Lianokladi, Sofades, Raxa, and Karpero — with only the Lianokladi and Sofades stations currently operational
- 1 Customer Service Point at the Trikala Toll Plaza (Lamia-bound direction)
- 4 mainline toll plazas and 5 side-entry toll booths